Should’ve gone to Specsavers.
Specsavers is renewing its sponsorship of Seven Network’s Home and Away throughout 2026 with a campaign via Essencemediacom.
“The response on social media to last year’s partnership showed us there was a real appetite for this kind of creative collaboration,” Specsavers head of marketing, awareness & consideration, Anri McHugh.
“It highlighted the opportunity to take our humour inside fan universes, environments with deeply engaged and loyal following.
“Sure, we could have run a standard brand ad, but instead we’ve tapped into the unique fan culture around Australia’s number one drama. Bringing back characters like Keith alongside new faces keeps the world feeling fresh, while giving us plenty of opportunities for those classic ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’ moments."
Developed in collaboration with 7RED Engine, the ‘mini soaps’ are a clever and humorous extension of the long running ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’ platform.
“We are thrilled to be introducing a hearing-related storyline into the Home & Away partnership,” said head of marketing audiology, Emma Kershaw.
“Leveraging the ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’ platform marks an exciting first for the Specsavers Audiology brand. It gives us a meaningful opportunity to challenge perceptions around hearing loss – helping people to see it as a normal part of ageing – while staying true to our distinctive, approachable tone."
Each execution opens with what appears to be a dramatic soap moment, before the anticipated Specsavers twist reveals a hilarious misunderstanding caused by sight or hearing related issues.
“Home and Away continues to be an unrivalled ratings powerhouse, and this renewed partnership proves the enduring value of clever, contextually relevant storytelling,” said Seven’s national television sales director, Katie Finney.
“By leaning directly into our unique fan culture with fresh storylines and the introduction of hearing-related mishaps, Specsavers has evolved the campaign perfectly for 2026. It’s a great example of how premium integration can seamlessly connect a brand with millions of highly engaged Australian viewers.”
“Bringing the band back together with Home and Away and Specsavers has provided the perfect opportunity to create even more hilarious moments for our characters’ lives and deliver something truly memorable for our audience,” said head of 7RED engine creative, Ben Fletcher.
“It’s always a pleasure collaborating with Specsavers, who put a lot of trust in the creative potential of the series and championed it from the start.”
Home and Away’s audience continues to align strongly with Specsavers’ target demographic, with the sponsorship planned and executed by WPP media brand EssenceMediacom, delivering an integrated approach to engage prime-time Australian TV viewers.
“Specsavers is a brand that has consistently proven the longevity and success of TV advertising, and the creativity of this sponsorship builds on the enduring appeal that both Home and Away and Specsavers share with Australian audiences,” said EssenceMediacom Melbourne’s group director – implementation & activation, Remona Salem.
“Continuing the successful collaboration last year, we are delighted to expand this partnership by evolving our own storylines, featuring familiar faces and new characters within the campaign assets.
“Leveraging the iconic backdrop of Palm Beach, we've created three new 15-second TVCs that will rotate weekly for viewers to follow along.
“This integrated campaign delivers a national footprint across the Seven Network, spanning across linear TV, 7plus streaming, and bolstered by three custom, behind-the-scenes social assets to further engage audiences.”
Credits:
Specsavers ANZ
- Trading Director, Dominic Savill
- Director of Marketing Customer Attraction, Shaun Briggs
- Head Marketing Awareness & Consideration, Anri McHugh
- Head Marketing Audiology, Emma Kershaw
- Marketing Manager Awareness & Consideration – Optics, Imogen Blaskett
- Marketing Manager Awareness & Consideration – Audiology, Gab Panther
Seven and 7RED Engine:
- Head of 7REDEngine, Ben Fletcher
- Director of Creative and Design Operations, James Falzon
- Senior Creative/ Director, Samantha Power
- Senior Creative/ Writer/ Editor, Sarah Taylor
- Producer, Chris Seeto
- Director of Photography, Simon Koloadin
- Art Director, Natalie Verriest
- Campaign Manager, Cameron Jones
- Group Strategy and Partnerships Manager, Sally Welsh
- Group Business Director, Lucy Piccolo
WPP media brand EssenceMediacom
- Group Director – Implementation & Activation, Remona Salem
- Associate Director – Implementation & Activation, Maddison Jones
- Head of Investment, Anthony O'Callaghan
- Client Partner, Matt Ridsdale
- General Manager, Jeremy Mcnamara
